The present invention relates to the field of air conditioning systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bracket for a receiver dryer of a sub-cooled condenser system.
In a conventional vapor compression system, vapor refrigerant is compressed in the compressor, where its temperature is raised above the temperature of the cooling medium used at the condenser. A mixture of vapor and liquid refrigerant then enters the condenser where heat is extracted, and the refrigerant changes to a liquid. The liquid refrigerant then enters the thermal expansion valve, which controls the quantity of liquid refrigerant passing to the evaporator coils. Finally, the liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator and evaporates. Heat from the ambient atmosphere, for example, in a vehicle passenger compartment, is rejected to the refrigerant in the evaporator where it is absorbed as the latent heat of vaporization as the refrigerant evaporates. The now vaporized refrigerant is then directed to the compressor to be recycled through the system.
Some vapor compression systems include a receiver dryer which is intended to perform some or all of the following functions: filtration and/or dehydration of the refrigerant, compensation for variations in its volume, and separation of the vapor and liquid phases of the refrigerant. Typically, an inlet pipe is coupled between an upstream section of the condenser and an inlet port of the receiver for carrying the vapor and liquid phases of the refrigerant to the receiver dryer. An outlet pipe is coupled between an outlet port of the receiver and a downstream section of the condenser header for returning the liquid phase of the refrigerant to the downstream section. Interposing the receiver dryer between upstream and downstream sections of the condenser ensures the fluid in the downstream section circulates only in the liquid state. The downstream section, or sub-cooler section, of the condenser sub-cools the liquid refrigerant to a point below the temperature at which the liquid changes to a gas. The sub-cooled liquid phase refrigerant quality is low and its enthalpy is also low which increases the evaporator""s ability to absorb heat as the refrigerant evaporates, thus improving the efficiency of the vapor compression system.
Condenser systems used in vehicle air conditioning systems are typically manufactured by first assembling brazing clad condenser components together, then passing the assembled components through a brazing furnace to braze, or fuse, the components together. Typically, one or more brackets are used to mount the receiver dryer, inlet pipe, and outlet pipe to a header of the condenser. The bracket or brackets may be first bolted or tack welded to the header prior to the brazing process. Bolting and tack welding prior to brazing is typically performed manually, thus resulting in undesirable labor costs for the manufacturing process.
In addition, some mounting brackets are assembled using a number of discrete components. An undesirably high number of discrete components increases the likelihood that the condenser system may be misassembled, and increases the potential for damaging the inlet and outlet pipes coupled between the condenser and the receiver dryer. Other prior art designs utilize large connector blocks for mounting the receiver dryer to the condenser header. These large connector blocks have greater mass, thus making the brazing process more difficult.
When a receiver dryer is included in a condenser system, it is often desirable to service the receiver dryer one or more times during the useable life of the condenser by replacing, replenishing, or refurbishing the desiccant inside the receiver dryer. The prior art vapor refrigeration systems, having mounting brackets of multiple discrete components, increases the duration and complexity of service performed on the receiver dryer, again resulting in undesirable labor costs. Thus, what is needed is a receiver dryer mounting bracket that enables simple, secure, and convenient fixation of the receiver dryer to the header.
Accordingly, it is an advantage of the present invention that a receiver dryer mounting bracket for a condenser system is provided.
It is another advantage of the present invention that a receiver dryer mounting bracket is provided that facilitates pre-assembly of the inlet and outlet pipes with the mounting bracket prior to brazing.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the receiver dryer mounting bracket provides a secure mount for the receiver dryer and promotes the correct connection of the receiver dryer to the condenser.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a receiver dryer mounting bracket is provided that enables rapid and simple servicing of the receiver dryer.
The above and other advantages of the present invention are carried out in one form by a bracket for use in a condenser system. The condenser system has two spaced apart headers, a plurality of parallel tubes extending between the headers for passing refrigerant between the headers, and a receiver dryer. An inlet pipe is coupled to one of the headers and an inlet port of the receiver dryer. An outlet pipe is coupled to the one of the headers and an outlet port of the receiver dryer. The bracket retains the inlet and outlet pipes in fixed relation with the one of the headers. The bracket comprises a body including a first surface, a second surface, and a side spanning a width of the body from the first surface to the second surface. The body has an opening extending through the body configured for passage of the inlet and outlet pipes. The first surface has first and second seat sections at the opening, the first seat section being configured for retention of the inlet pipe, and the second seat section being configured for retention of the outlet pipe. An arm is coupled to and extends from the side of the body. The arm has a concave surface for mating engagement with the one of the header tubes.